holiday cancelation

[jproximo]

i recently booked a holiday over the telephone and paid 190 pound of the "low cost deposit" and since then me circumstances have changed and i'm unable to go so i want to cancel it, however the travel company want the rest of the low cost deposit or they are going to take legal action, i haven't signed anything at all and cannot see anywhere where it says that oral contracts are legaly binding can anyone help me on this matter thanks.

[mushroom25]

generally deposit is forfeit if you cancel, so if the deposit is fairly high (as it sounds in your case), it's important to be insured at time of booking. Whilst you haven't signed anything, you have paid a proportion of the deposit - you need to check the Ts&Cs on the back of your invoice to check that payment hasn't implied your acceptance of their contract.

[Rebecca611]

If you don't have travel insurance, do you have a bank account or credit card that includes travel insurance as a benefit? Just an idea.

[kempie]

Oral contracts are binding and as legally valid as written contracts, although it is often very difficult to prove what has been said unless the conversation was recorded...